Melissa Rohalin
Fox Sports NBA Author
As the General Manager of Dallas Maveryx Nico Harrison went through a tunnel before playing Los Angeles on Tuesday, he was praised by fans.
There is only one thing, those fans wore purple and gold.
“Good business, Nico!” A fan shouted. Another couple: “We love you, Nico!”
On Tuesday, the first time Harrison shocked the NBA world to deal with Luka Donic in exchange for Anthony Davis in early February, in early February, Donic played against his former team. As expected, it was a playoff -like atmosphere.
Harrison was hacked. Hek, in a way, was also Davis. As the injured-Deviis (Adicter Strain) shot around before the game, Serbian music blew through speakers at Crypto.com Arena, who was a turn of a knife for a player in his homecoming, The one who spent 5 1/2 sessions in Los Angeles, helping to lead the Laks for a championship in 2020. (Donic, of course, was heating at the same time as Davis on the other side of the court.)
Everyone’s eyes were on Donic.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, Maveryx coach Jason Kid “said” to Donic The game plan, “Compare him to” a Picasso “and after the 107-99 victory over Mavrices after LE7-99 win, Kiri Irving admitted that playing against his former team partner” S-” – Strange as T. ,
Donic played with fire, finishing with its first triple-dabble as a lacker, including 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 aids. He also had three theft and two blocked shots.
But three weeks after being completely shocked, the experience of playing against his former team-and, honestly, embarrassed-Mavrichx was ready to deal with a 25-year-old child, widely a top-three talent which was widely a top-three talent It was believed that he was feeling tired, both mentally and physically.
“It’s going to take a little time to close, I think Donic said. “It’s not ideal. But, as I said, I am happy that the game is over. There were many feelings.”
The oxyic did not sleep much further than Tuesday’s game. In fact, all of February were just a huge tornado. Five-time all-star and five-time all-NBA players, who led their team in the NBA final last season, were most discussed about the player in all sports in the last few weeks.
His conditioning was called in question. Maveryx did so unprecedented by trading a superstar of his caliber at his age. In fact Behind the curtain. Why were Mavricks ready to participate with him in the world?
The kid hopes that Donic will not be drawn down by any of them.
“Sometimes you can never hear the noise,” the kid said. “Great people can block noise and remove which is probably true or is it probably not true. Everyone has an angle, everyone has a conspiracy principle.”
Kid said that Donic “is going to be one of the best players in the world,” saying that despite any question on his coach, the superstar took creative criticism well, especially about his defense and pacing .
“Sometimes we are asking as a coach,” Can you participate in a defensive end? ” “Kid said.” And they did. And they put us in the finals of the Western Conference (in 2022), they again helped us reach the final of the Western Conference (in 2024) and then the final (in 2024). Just understand, can we play fast? And he agreed.
For Donic, he has just criticized all on his mental bulletin board. During the Lake Media Day, Donic told the negative chatter about his conditioning, “A purpose,” adding, “I know it’s not true.”
More than anything, Donic focuses on trying to find his rhythm after returning from a calf stress two weeks ago that sidelined him for 22 games. After the first couple of the game with Lakes, the doon on Sunday saw himself in a win on Denver, finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assistance. And against Maverix, with great pressure on him, he shone again.
Tuesday’s game was a dogfite, in which the score was tied through the fourth quarter on 91-91 midway. Labron James took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 out of 27 points in the period, which led to the 15th win in his last 19 matches. James-donsic connection is already thrilling, and was included in carving through the streets and disrupting defense with cross-court pass and luxurious finish.
James, who is not a stranger to the feelings of spacious sports against former teams or high pressure situations, was influenced by Donic the way Donic did it all on Tuesday.
“They went to the final, all the stuff,” James said. “He is now grown with a family and all that belongings with a 25 -year -old man, being an 18,1 -year -old child. So you develop as a family with the franchise and when you move or go ahead or They move forward on you, it is very emotional, it is a lot of tax. “
For Donic, the night was just strange.
Donic said that he did not see Harrison (who stood in court) during the warm -up. But Laks fans ensured his praise for him, chanting “Thank you, Nico”, as Donic shot the free throw. Harrison, of course, is not as popular in Dallas, where the fans of Mavricks are hurting the business by bringing a casket at the US Airlines Center and holding a signal at the American Airlines Center, stating that “Fire Nico.”
After the game, Donik did one thing that Donkik did, how strange it was to play against his former companions.
“It was just so strange, moments,” said Donic. “It felt as if I didn’t know what I was doing.”
After the game, Donic called Irving his “Harmano,” or brother in Spanish. And Irving, who, considered himself a type of protector for Donic after trading in Maveex in February 2023, said that he felt for his former team partner for the last few weeks.
Irving said, “As a protective elder brother, I was just looking at him from a distance, sending him to the texts, so that he was good,” Irving said, who had a game-high 35 points, seven rebounds and There were four assistance. “And when I saw him, I hoped that he would be above the hill, as we like to call it, just going on rejection or getting angry. Sometimes it becomes a cause of hatred Can sometimes cause uncertainty as he has gone there and played.
The grieving process is clearly fresh for Donic.
He is not on the shock of all this. In fact, Maverix felt like an rejection to trading her, which she had never experienced before. No one can break heart from unsuccessful relationships Business,
“It was different,” Donic accepted.
But he took a big step on Tuesday. He is moving forward. He is playing very well. And now, high anticipated and frightening reunion between him and his former team is behind him.
Kid compared Donic’s visit to a train. Regardless of how big or stressful moment it seemed on Tuesday, it had gone into a flash.
The train keeps running.
And now Donic needs to focus on the next stop.
Melissa Rohalin is an NBA writer for Fox Sports. He first covered the league for sports Illustrated, Los angels Times, Bay Area News Group and The San Antonio Express-News. Follow it on Twitter @Melishrhalin,
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